


You’re It!

by fosterthebanana



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Cussing, I think that tag is just obligatory now, Minor Violence (Not Really), Mom Friend Katara (Avatar), Sokka (Avatar) Being An Idiot, Tag, There's A Tag For That, Zuko is an Angry Turtleduck, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:01:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25902493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fosterthebanana/pseuds/fosterthebanana
Summary: Aang and Zuko introduce the group to an old Fire Nation game. Like everything, they’re too intense about it.
Relationships: Aang & Katara & Sokka & Toph & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 110





	You’re It!

**Author's Note:**

> I have only seen ALTA (not LOK yet) so this may not reflect what actually happens in the comics or the second series.
> 
> I also wrote & published this via phone so sorry in advance for spelling, formatting, and grammar mistakes.

“Katara, I’m bored. How come we never do any group bonding activities?”

The waterbender gave him a most incredulous look. “Aang!” She pointed to the strategy board, where eleven Earth Kingdom advisors and seventeen Fire Nation generals were planning how to remove the Fire Nation presence and return refugees to their homes with as little damage as possible.

Zuko frowned. He, too, seemed distracted, like coming up with a team bonding exercise was suddenly more important than the meeting at hand.  


The adults, of course, could only uncomfortably glance between the two teenagers. Having a barely-tween Avatar defeat the Fire Lord and save the world was one thing; being reminded of it while making plans that potentially affect generations was another. Saying something might be seen as an attack on the Avatar. Suggesting he leave? Deadly.

They continued on with the task at hand regardless. Katara was the most helpful, though her ideas were occasionally too optimistic for most of the advisors' tastes. Sokka helped with balancing realism, as well as making sure the Water Tribes were considered.

Eventually, the young Fire Lord spoke as well. “There was a game... we used to play as kids. You hit each other.”

Omalai, one of his more straight-laced advisors, groaned audibly.

“Hit each other... Are you talking about Fire Nation tag? You still play that?!” Aang jumped up. He was across the room in seconds. He shoved Zuko forcefully in the back— granted, his shoves were not very forceful to begin with— and loudly yelled, “You’re it! No tag backs!”

“What? That’s not how you play!” Zuko growled. He shoved Aang back, rousing a couple gasps from the Earth Kingdom advisors.

“No! You can’t tag me back! I said no tag backs.”

“Fine.” Zuko crosses his arms and reseated himself, obviously still sour about it. Katara huffed. Thank goodness, they were getting back to the important stuff. Aang, of course, seemed off-put that Zuko hadn’t continued, but he was easily smiling and eager again after someone addressed a question to him.

* * *

The meeting dispersed, and everyone but Zuko, Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Suki were quick to leave the room.

“Who knew it’d take _three hours_?” Aang sighed as they collectively began to walk through the palace. The group seemed to mindlessly head towards the Jasmine Dragon, the best tea shop in the Earth Kingdom.

Zuko, with his great wisdom, replied, “War meetings always took that long.” He had only been to two, really.

“I guess you’re right, but we didn’t even decide anything.”

“Well, everyone wants to be a critic, but Katara and I did all the heav-“ He was punctuated by a sharp slap on the back, practically sending him sprawling. “Hey!”

Zuko stood over him. The rest of the group seemed to pause, like they really didn’t know if they should be getting involved. “No tag... backs.”

Aang howled with laughter. “You don’t have to tag that hard, Zuko!”

“That’s how hard we always did it,” he replied, shrugging.

Fire Nation tag, huh? Well, not to be bested at anything, Sokka sprang to his feet, grabbed his boomerang, and tossed. It whistled through the air before soundly thumping against Suki’s arm.

“Jerk!” She drew a fan and flung it equally hard. At such close range, Sokka didn’t have enough time to duck, but fortunately she’d thrown it so the handled edge would hit him.

“Hey, no tag backs,” Aang cried most diplomatically, like she’d broken a sacred rule, “and, also, you guys can’t use weapons. Hands only!” He brought up his palms, grinning ear to ear, and wiggling his fingers to emphasize his point.

“Well, fine!” He cupped Suki’s cheeks and planted a peck on her lips before whispering, “You’re it!”

* * *

Zuko sighed. He hadn’t been It in a while, and with everyone else with much more time on their hands (that was a lie), it really could be anyone. Last he’d remembered, Sokka had tagged Aang at the Avatar Festival, right as he was giving a speech on stage, the only time he couldn’t run.

He’d sent a messenger hawk to address the matter with Aang, but it went unanswered. That was to say, the answer was a poorly draw doodle of Appa, reminiscent of Sokka’s art skills. That should mean he was safe, seeing as the Avatar was off on a spirit world mission.

* * *

Sai was new to the palace, so scoring a shift during an important reparation negotiation was quite the accomplishment.

Of course, it turned out to amount to standing by idly holding a tray of glasses while the intense conversation grew louder and, more rarely, softer. The representatives from the Earth kingdom hadn’t even arrived yet; most of the Fire Nation advisors insisted they needed extra time beforehand to agree on what they would and wouldn’t be allowing.

The young Fire Lord just looked lost in thought. A knock broke him from his thoughts. 

Sai stiffened, preparing to welcome and greet the new Earth Kingdom king and his generals. As he pulled open the door, instead, a short woman with equally short black hair pulled into a tight bun strode in. Her robes were clean and impressively green. Her eyes were glossy. Oh? Was the metal bender he’d heard rumors about?

With a stomp, the Fire Lord was pinned under columns of rock burst from the floor.

Suddenly, everything was shouting and chaos and Sai had just dropped the tray filled with glasses of Fire Nation wine.

He barely had time to move before the bender was gliding across the floor towards the young ruler. Stopping inches from him, she grabbed his collar and pulled him down, his arms bending at a rough angle.

The assassin grinned widely and patted the Fire Lord on the cheek before whispering something in his ear. Guards were already storming into the room, fists raised as they prepared to firebend against her.

Instead, she stomped again and the jutting columns lowered back into the earth. The release Fire Lord huffed, a short burst of smoke coming from his nose, and straightened his now wrinkled and dirty robes.

He crossed his arms. No one was quite sure what to do. The assassin was just standing there grinning triumphantly. _What did she say to him? An agreement not to end his life? In return for what?_

“Well?” the Fire Lord growled. “Where’re the others?”

The rest of the Earth Kingdom entourage was standing outside with equally terrified expressions. Had they not expected that as well? Or were they excellent actors?

Fire Lord Zuko continued as if nothing had happened. The assassin took a seat at his right hand— his right hand, of all places!— forcing Omalai to scoot down ungracefully. His nonchalance forced the rest of the attendees to procede as well.

* * *

After the meeting, a servant paused by him. He seemed like he had a question to ask, which was unusual.

“What?” He wasn’t in the mood for formalities and Fire Lord duties after the embarrassing display Toph had put on earlier.

“Fire Lord.” The servant bowed respectfully. “It’s not my business, but... what did that blind assassin say to you earlier?”

Said “blind assassin” was talking animatedly with a couple of his less-than-eager advisors about how they didn’t show quite enough love towards the Earth Kingdom.

Sai instantly regretted his words. Right. Why did he think asking the Fire Lord about a fresh attempt on his life was a good idea?

“She said, ‘You’re it, Hotman’! Go clean up the meeting hall!” His voice bubbled louder with each syllable. Even with such a short phrase, he was quietly shouting. Sai squeaked and hurried away, not quite yet processing what had been said to him.

Toph barked with laughter. Everyone was staring at him...

The Fire Lord rushed from the hall without a word, except to pull another servant aside and say, “Prepare a war ship for the South Pole.”

* * *

Black snow in the South Pole had never brought happy memories. Katara had to actively remind herself these days that the war was over. It’d taken years of her life away from her. It took people, too. It took the culture of the South Pole.

But they were rebuilding now, with the help of their sister tribe.

Still, she hadn’t remembered getting any correspondence from Zuko, which worried her.

She was more alarmed, yet, to see the hulking cruiser racing towards them. The scene played out like it had so many years ago in her head. Her Northern siblings paused lightly, but continued about their business. The villagers, however, seemed to share her concerns, as they too remembered too many similar instances: raids on their village, hundreds dead or lost forever, and the hunt for the Avatar.

The cruiser stopped. It wasted no ground; a hair further and there would have been damage to the ice walls protecting them (and likely the ship as well).

Katara got into stance. Sokka came running up to her. He had a guilty look in his eye. _Did he piss of some Fire Nation noble? Restart the war?_

The bow dropped, landing on the wall with a resounding thud. Zuko stormed down, looking an awful lot like his sister, as he jumped from the wall and into the village.

He drew his dao blades and burst into a full run. “ _You told me Aang was it!_ ”

Sokka took off as well.

“Oh for fuck’s sake!” Katara cried. The people of the village seemed to relax visibly at her voice, sounding more like an annoyed mom than one of the most powerful and influential waterbenders of the world.

* * *

Sokka was still running when she saw him next. At her, in fact. He was sweaty and panting, and he ran until he grabbed her arm. He steadied himself against her, gasping and sputtering. “Hide me!”

She pulled him into a tent without question. Seconds later a sword slashed through.

“ _Zuko!_ ” she thundered. The water of the room rose to meet her and burst through the new hole, soaking the man on the other side. “For the love of Tui and La, put that sword down, or you’ll be roast duck by morning.”

There was a cling of metal hitting ice.

“And this tent was _new_ ,” she muttered, calming slightly and sitting down beside the still-wheezing Sokka. It was probably some combination of catching his breath and laughter.

“By the way, sis, you’re it.” He grinned at her proudly.


End file.
